In July 2024, I joined a small ship-based expedition through the Galápagos Islands with my family and a few fellow photographers. One morning, before sunrise, we set out in Pangas—Zodiac-style boats—and landed on San Cristóbal Island, the easternmost and one of the oldest islands in the archipelago.
We were the first, and only, people on that part of the island that morning. While most of the group headed off to explore, I carried my trusty little camping chair—something I take with me everywhere—and set it up on the beach facing Kicker Rock. Rising approximately 500 feet above sea level, Kicker Rock is the eroded remains of a volcanic tuff cone. It stands like a natural monument in Stephens Bay, just off the northwestern coast of the island.
As I settled in, I noticed several birds diving into the waters near the rock. I sat quietly and observed. It turned out to be a group of blue-footed boobies. Fascinated, I watched them arch dramatically in the air—almost backwards—as they prepared to dive. Just before impact, they would pull in their wings and pierce the water like bullets.
Blue-footed boobies are known as plunge divers. They dive from heights of up to 100 meters, reaching speeds of nearly 60 miles per hour, which allows them to hunt fish as deep as 25 meters underwater.
I decided to try capturing one of these incredible dives with Kicker Rock in the background. With the morning light behind me, casting a soft glow over the scene, I spent the next hour watching and waiting. I tracked each dive through my lens—patiently and persistently—until finally, everything aligned. One booby arched and dove perfectly in line with the towering rock formation.
That single frame became the image I had envisioned. It was a moment of nature, light, and timing coming together—something I’ll never forget.
